


Proud

by TortiTabby



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Comfort No Hurt, Gay Pride, Internalized Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24628294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: Richie and Eddie go to their first ever gay pride in their early forties.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 10
Kudos: 65





	Proud

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Pride Month!!!  
> I couldn't help but think about Reddie never being able to go to pride before and how lovely but maybe a bit overwhelming it would be to come out and be able to experience so much later in life.  
>   
>   
> Thank you Moody for as always just being the best beta <3 and a great friend.  
> (and helping me pick out their outfits lmao)

Eddie finished cramming the backpack he was currently packing full and took a deep breath. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was wearing rainbow shorts just as short, if not shorter than the ones he donned in his childhood, which he knew thrilled Richie to no end. The shirt he got was simple. It was white with a pride flag on the bottom and “kiss whoever the fuck you want” printed above it. He thought it was perfect. 

He shot an awkward smile at himself. It was going to be the first pride either of them would attend and Eddie was surprised to find nothing but excitement thrumming through his veins. He knew it was harder for Richie. He spent most of the night before pacing and bought three different shirts he was debating on wearing. Eddie would catch him gnawing on his bottom lip with his eyebrows creased together. He had come so far from the shitty hand rural Maine, homophobic bullies and alien clowns had handed him, but Eddie wasn’t about to diminish Richie’s nerves and he knew if he called attention to it Richie would just feel like he was spoiling things. 

He shrugged his backpack that was now full of first aid items, both of their wallets and water for each of them onto his back and went outside where Richie was already waiting by the car. 

“Oh god, Rich I thought you decided against that shirt. When did you even get it?” Eddie asked but knew his laughter slipped through the exasperation. 

Richie smiled widely at him. He was dressed in jeans that were cut into shorts at the knees and a navy blue tank top that had a tiny rainbow at the top and written in script underneath it “Cum in me bro.” 

“I’ll never tell my secrets, Spaghetti-head.” 

“You’re so annoying.” Eddie groaned fondly. “Oh! Before I forget, I got you this.” He quickly unzipped the backpack. 

“I figured if you’re so excited for me to wear short shorts like ‘the old days’, even though you are deluded they were never this short, my ass is almost hanging out of these, by the way- if I was going to wear the shorts I’d get you an obnoxiously loud button shirt to wear over your top.” 

Richie grabbed the rainbow shirt wordlessly and put his arms through it. 

“Thanks, Eds.” He said with a soft smile. “Let’s get this show on the road!” He slapped the roof of his car and ducked into the drivers seat. 

Eddie knew there was going to be a lot of people but was still shocked at how many people lined the streets when they arrived. 

He got out of the car and looked out across the sea of rainbow. He smiled to himself. All of these people were celebrating the kind of love he got to share with Richie. He felt laughter bubble up in his throat just for the pure joy of it. 

“Let’s get down to where the parade’s gonna be, or we aren’t going to find a spot, Rich.” He turned towards Richie who was standing outside of his car door unmoving staring out at the crowd. Eddie couldn’t decipher the look on his face. “Rich?” 

Richie loudly cleared his throat and nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Good plan, Eduardo. Let’s get some front row seats to this.” His voice came out loud and he wouldn’t meet Eddie’s eyes.

Eddie walked around the car and laced his hand through Richie’s. He opened his mouth to ask if Richie was alright but closed it and just squeezed his hand once. 

Richie squeezed back hard and started to lead them down to the street the parade was on, hanging tight the whole time. 

They found a spot right near the start of the parade. Eddie could feel Richie practically vibrating next to him. 

“Hey! Did you guys have a flag?” Eddie turned around to find a person covered in glitter holding a ton of rainbow flags. They were wearing a shirt that had a flag Eddie didn’t recognize on the front of it. He was slapped in the face with the realization he was sorely uneducated in the community and made a promise to himself then and there to learn the flags and history when he got home. 

“Oh! Hell yeah, what do they cost?” Richie asked and started pulling Eddie over by the backpack.

“No, no no! These are free! Here’s one for both of you! My name’s Remy! If you guys want we’re doing face paint over there!” They pointed over their shoulder where they had a little table set up. 

“Oh.” Richie repeated, smaller. He was being so quiet. He glanced at Eddie and Eddie was struck by just how  _ nervous _ Richie was. His shoulders were angled in towards his chin making him look smaller. He was popping his knuckles on one hand and rolling on the balls of his feet. 

Clown or no clown, Richie had been carrying his sexuality as a secret and a burden nearly his whole life. They were there to celebrate it and Eddie decided to make it his mission for Richie to feel happy and light and to feel  _ proud _ . 

“Yeah, I’ll get my face painted!” Eddie said with a laugh. “Can I get a pride flag on my cheek? The uh, good one?” 

Remy beamed at him. “Of course!” 

“Really?” Richie asked disbelievingly, his face splitting into a wide grin. “Okay, I want the same thing, then.” Eddie squeezed his hand again and led him over to the little table.

Remy smiled at them. “So are you two partners? How long have you been together?” 

Eddie laughed airly. “Officially two years, unofficially about thirty five.” 

Richie smiled down at him in surprise and squeezed his hand tightly before adding almost shyly, “This is actually our first pride. It’s been a long road of getting our shit together, I guess.” 

Remy sat back and gawked up at Richie from the half painted flag on Eddie’s face. “Oh this is your first pride? Now these flags have to be  _ perfect _ .” They finished painting their faces just as the first float started rolling in.

Richie pulled his hand away to cheer at the second float full of half naked men dancing around in rainbow speedos throwing condoms out like candy on the fourth of July. He caught some in his hand and threw his head back and cackled before he slung an arm around Eddie’s waist. Edde mirrored him and waved his flag in the air with his other hand, cheering all the while. 

They kept swaying with each other, cheering and laughing with the floats that rolled past. Some of them were as vulgar as Richie’s shirt and made him laugh so hard he had to hold onto Eddie to keep upright, and some were wholesome and tugged at Eddie’s heart as they handed out fliers of information about things that would have saved both of them a lot of heartache at a younger age. 

Eddie’s heart swelled with the thought of younger queer people having the recourses they didn’t. 

A little girl wandered over to them and grabbed Richie’s leg. 

"Oop, are you lost, Sweetie?" Richie bent down. 

She blinked up at him in surprise before her face screwed up in panic of clearly missing her parents. She was wearing a frilly rainbow shirt that read ‘I love my two dads.’ Richie let out a soft breath and Eddie knew he saw it too. His head swam with images of Richie with kids and the kind of love they’d get to experience if Richie was in their lives. He wasn’t even sure what kind of route either of them wanted to take but all of the doors were open and it was almost overwhelming.

"Sorry, she likes to make friends." A bearded man came up to scoop her up and take her giggling over to a tall gangly man watching them fondly. 

Eddie squeezed Richies arm once as they turned their attention back to the parade. 

Eddie felt giddy and drunk off of their laughter when a float full of drag queens went by and one hopped off of the float to wrap a feathered boa around Eddie’s shoulders. She kissed Richie on the forehead before sauntering off. Remy wolf whistled.

A group of people marching, without a float, came up chanting. The formation they were in made them into a giant rainbow heart. Richie clung tight enough to Eddie that he looked up at him in alarm. 

Richie was attempting to blink back tears and failing miserably. He squeezed Eddie tight when he saw his look of concern before shoving his fist in the air and chanting with them. 

Eddie felt a lump grow in his throat once he realized what they were saying. 

“It gets better! It gets better! It gets better!” 

Eddie pulled Richie down and kissed him deeply, his fingers tangled in his curls. 

Loud cheering from around them pulled them apart and Eddie smiled bashfully at Remy who was clapping with tears in their own eyes. 

“Happy fucking pride, guys! I’ll fix your rainbows after the parade.” 

Eddie looked at Richie and doubled over with laughter at the rainbow mess across his face. Richie beamed in return.

“Meh. I think it suits us. Gay. A bit of a mess.” Richie shrugged.

“Together.” Eddie added and felt his cheeks grow hot.

Richie’s eyes filled with tears again but he just pulled Eddie tight to his side again and cheered on the next float. 

Soon the last float passed them and they looked at each other. 

“Happy pride.” Eddie said.

“Happy pride, Spagheds.” 

“Here you guys. I know I gave you the little flags earlier but this is baby’s first pride, we have to act accordingly.” Remy came up and wrapped one massive rainbow flag over their shoulders. 

“Remy, how much did this cost?”    
Remy waved a hand at Richie and rolled their eyes. “To wear the flag proudly on your shoulders with your boyfriend at your first pride at forty years old? I can’t imagine what it cost, sweetheart.” 

Richie opened and closed his mouth at that before nodding aggressively. He pulled Remy into a hug. 

They parted ways and made their ways to the booths. Eddie found book after book on LGBTQ+ history at one booth and Richie bought them five magnets, two bumper stickers, a rainbow blanket to put on the bed and a rainbow iced drink for each of them. He was uncharacteristically quiet the entire time, only murmuring little jokes or thoughts in Eddie’s ear occasionally. 

Eddie studied him. He looked relaxed in a way he didn’t often look out in public and his hand was warm and solid, if not a tad sweaty in Eddie’s. 

“I’m tired.” He said finally when he caught Eddie staring. “I feel like we should never leave but I also feel raw and tired but in all really good ways.” 

Eddie paused. “Okay if you’re not joking about ‘raw in a good way’ then you really are tired. Let’s head home.” 

They made their way back to the car, catching Remy and thanking them for everything along the way.

They got to the car just as the sun was starting to really beat down. Eddie could see Richie’s cheeks and nose start to get a little red and knew he was the same. 

Richie pulled Eddie in for a chaste kiss before they climbed into the car. “I love you so much, Eds.”

“Love you too, Rich.” Eddie rubbed at the rainbow mess smeared across Richie’s cheek. “Happy pride.” 

**Author's Note:**

> There's so much going on right now [ Here is a place to find ways to help! ](https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/resources-supporting-black-lives-matter-movement-creative-industry-010620)


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